Bearing



W. B WELLS Feb. 9, 1937.

BEARING 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. .16, 1934 INVENTOR T Vsley 13. Wells. BY 0mm HIS ATTORNEY Feb. 9, 1937.

w B. WELLS 2,069,908

' BEARING Filed Oct. 16, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet v2 Fly. 9.

INVENTOR Wesley B. I Vells.

Q/RW

HIS ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BEARING Application October 16,

3 Claims.

My invention relates to bearings and to a method of manufacturing the same.

More particularly my invention relates to a. combined knife edge and thrust bearing, and has for an object the provision of a bearing of the type described which can be manufactured at a minimum cost.

Other objects of my invention will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. l is a view partly in section and partly in side elevation, showing a bearing embodying my invention applied to the armature shaft of a light signal. Fig. 2 is a front elevational View of the armature shaft and associated parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the bearing shown in section in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an end view of the inner sleeve I4 forming part of the bearing illustrated in section in the preceding views. Figs. 6 and 7 are side elevational and end views, respectively, of the knife edge member I3 forming part of the bearing illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. Fig. 8 is a side view of a rod from which knife edge members I3 are manufactured, showing the rod as it appears during one step in the process of manufacture of the knife edge members. Fig. 9 is an end view of the rod shown in Fig. 8.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the reference character I designates a shaft which is intended to oscillate in a horizontal plane through a limited angle. The shaft I may be the shaft of any suitable device but, as here shown, the shaft I is the armature shaft of a search light signal such as is disclosed and claimed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,864,224, granted to me on June 21, 1932. Attached to the shaft I is the usual spectacle arm 2, the lower end of which is provided with two counter-weights 3 which bias the shaft to an intermediate position, and the upper end of which is provided, with three color filters 4,

and 6 which cooperate with the optical system of the signal in a manner which is fully described in the above referred-to patent, to cause the signal to indicate proceed, stop, or caution, according as the shaft is swung to a right-hand extreme position, occupies its intermediate position, or is swung to a left-hand extreme position, as viewed in Fig. 2.

Two end pins I are securely fastened, as by rivets 8, within accurately aligned holes 9 bored 1934, Serial No. 748,506

in the opposite ends of the shaft I, and formed in the lower portion of each pin adjacent its outer end, as by milling, is an inverted V-shaped groove I0, the apex of which is located at the axis of the shaft I, and the sides of which are disposed at an angle of approximately 90 degrees, as shown in Fig. 4. The outer end of each pin I is provided with a circular socket II which receives an accurately ground hardened steel ball I2 forming part of a thrust bearing for the adjacent end of the shaft, as will be explained more fully hereinafter.

Extending into each grove II] for pivotally supporting the shaft I is a knife edge member I3. As shown in Figs. 6 and '7, each knife edge member I3 is sector-shaped in cross-section and has two fiat radially extending sides I3 and I3 a convex side 83, and a chamfered end I3 The knife edge members I3 are constructed of a special hardened steel to insure long life with a minimum amount of friction and wear.

Each knife edge member I3 is disposed within one end of a slot I4 which is milled in the side of an inner sleeve I4, and the inner sleeve and knife edge member are pressed into an outer sleeve I5. The sides of the slot W are inclined at the same angle as the sides of the knife edge member I3, and the fit between the inner and outer sleeves, and between the knife edge member I3 and the slot in the inner sleeve, is such that, when these parts are pressed together, they will be securely clamped in the positions which they then occupy, but in order to prevent the possibility of any lengthwise motion in one direction of the inner sleeve or knife edge member with respect to the outer sleeve due to the parts loosening up, the inner end of the inner sleeve is chamfered in a manner similar to the knife edge member I3, and the edge of the outer sleeve I5 is spun into the chamfers on the inner sleeve and knife edge member.

The two outer sleeves I5 may be mounted in any suitable support, and as here shown are disposed in holes I6 and I6 provided in the upstanding legs I? and N of a U-shaped bracket IS. The holes I6 and It are line reamed to insure that the axes of the two bearings will coincide, and each hole i6 is provided adjacent its outer end with a shoulder I9 which cooperates with an annular flange I 5 provided on the associated outer sleeve I5 to assist in accurately positioning the outer sleeve I5 in the associated hole. Each outer sleeve I5 is clamped in the position in which the flange I5 on the sleeve engages the associated shoulder I9 by means of an end plate 2E3 which is bolted to the associated leg Il or I'i of the bracket I3 by means of screws 22, and which engages the outer end of the associated sleeve. The inner side of each end plate is accurately ground, and cooperates with the steel ball I2 in the socket II in the adjacent end of the armature I to prevent endwise movement of the armature shaft. The end plates 25 are constructed of a special hardened steel to prevent wear. A pin 2| is secured to each end plate, and this pin extends into the slot It in the associated sleeve I4 at the end opposite to the knife edge member I3, the parts being so proportioned that when the end plate is secured to the supporting bracket the pin 2| will be located on the horizontal center line of the cap 23, and will engage the slot I l in the sleeve M in a manner to hold the associated knife edge member I3 in the position in which the knife edge is vertical. The pin 2| also serves to prevent endwise motion of the knife edge member I3 in the event that the knife edge member should become loosened within the notch in the associated sleeve I4. The hole M in each inner sleeve I4 is formed at its inner end with a diameter which is considerably larger than the diameter of the associated end pin 1, and at its outer end with a diameter which is just large enough to permit rotation of the pin 1 within the hole without friction, and the parts are so proportioned that a portion of the hole I4 having the small diameter will cooperate with a relatively short length of the pin I to prevent vertical displacement of the shaft.

With the bearings constructed in the manner just described it will be apparent that the shaft I is supported entirely by the contact between the two knife edges of the knife edge members I3 and the grooves It in the associated end pins 1, and that the shaft is therefore free to rotate on the knife edges with a relatively small amount of friction. It will also be apparent that the steel balls I2 which are held in the sockets II in the end pins 1 by the end plates 20 constitute, together with the end plates, thrust bearings which prevent endwise movement of the shaft with a minimum amount of friction and wear. The angle through which the shaft can rotate in either direction from its central biased position with the parts constructed in the manner described, is limited to about 22 degrees, but it will be readily understood that this angle can readily be varied within certain limits by properly proportioning the parts, as conditions require.

The construction of the two sleeves I4 and I5, which sleeves are preferably of phosphor bronze, is such that these sleeves can be accurately turned out, bored and reamed in automatic machines, thus permitting these parts to be manu factured at a minimum cost. After the inner sleeve is turned out, bored and reamed, the 45 degree slot is milled in the side of this sleeve.

In manufacturing the knife edge members, I prefer to employ a circular steel rod. The end of the rod is first chamfered in the manner shown in Fig. 8, and four radial saw cuts, spaced 45 degrees apart, are then made in the end of the rod in the manner shown in Fig. 9, to a depth which is just a little greater than the desired length of the knife edge members, thus forming at the end of the rod eight longitudinally extending sections, each of which is sector-shaped in cross-section. These eight sections are then out off, thus producing eight roughedout knife edge members. These knife edge members are next hardened, after which they are ground all over. It will be seen that when the knife edge members are made in this manner a very accurate and true knife edge can be obtained at a relatively low cost.

The bearing caps 20 are preferably made by punching them from fiat straps of the same kind of steel out of which the knife edge members are constructed. The two holes for the screws 22 which fasten the end caps to the associated support are then counter-sunk, and a small hole for the reception of the pin 2| is drilled on the vertical center line of the end cap at a short distance below the center of the cap. The end cap is then hardened, and the face opposite the counter-sinking is ground, and the pin 2| is then riveted in place.

The end pins I are also constructed out of the same type of steel from which the knife edge members and the caps are constructed. Each piece is first turned to size and the socket II is then bored in one end of the pin. The pin is next placed in a milling machine and the slot I0 is milled out. A hole is then bored'in the end of the pin to receive the rivet 8 which fastens the end pin within the hole 9 in the end of the armature shaft.

In assembling a bearing, the knife edge member I3 is first placed in the slot I4 in the inner sleeves It in such manner that the chamfer I3 on the knife edge member aligns with the chamfer on the sleeve, and the sleeve I4 and knife edge member are then pressed into the sleeve I5. By a suitable tool, the end of the sleeve I5 is then spun into the chamfers on the inner sleeve and on the knife edge member. The outer sleeve is then placed in one of the holes IS in the bracket I8, and the end pin 1 on one end of the armature shaft is inserted in the hole It in the inner sleeve It. The steel ball I2 is then inserted into the socket I I in the end pin 1, and the cap 20 is next placed against the outer end of the sleeves I4 and I5 in a position in which the associated pin 2| extends into the slot in the inner sleeve I4, after which the end cap is bolted to the associated bracket, thus completing the assembly.

One advantage of a bearing constructed in the manner described is that the bearing can be manufactured with extreme accuracy and at a minimum cost.

It should be particularly pointed out that while in describing my invention I have shown it applied to the armature shaft of a search light signal, my invention is not limited to this use, but on the contrary it may be employed wherever it is desirable to support a horizontal shaft in such manner that it may rock through a limited angle.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of bearings embodying my invention and one method of constructing the same, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: l

1. A bearing for horizontal shafts comprising in combination with the shaft, a groove formed in the lower side of the shaft and extending inwardly from the end of the shaft and a socket formed in the end of the shaft, an outer sleeve mounted in ahole in a bearing support and surrounding the end of the shaft, an inner sleeve surrounding said shaft with a limited amount of clearance within said outer sleeve and provided in its lower portion with a slot, a knife edge member disposed Within said slot and having its knife edge extending into the groove in said shaft, a steel ball disposed in said socket in the end of said shaft, and an end plate cooperating with said sleeves to hold said sleeves in place in said support, and with said steel ball to prevent endwise movement of said shaft in one direction. 2. A hearing for horizontal shafts comprising in combination with the shaft an inverted V- shaped groove formed in the lower side of one end of the shaft, an outer sleeve surrounding said one end of said shaft and held in a fixed position, an inner sleeve pressed into said outer sleeve and provided in its lower side with a slot, and a knife edge member disposed in said slot and having its knife edge engaging said shaft at the apex of said groove, said inner sleeve having one edge chamfered and said knife edge member having one edge chamfered in such manner that the chamfered portions align, and said outer sleeve having one edge spun over into the chamfers on said inner sleeve and said knife. edge member to prevent endwise movement of said inner sleeve and said knife edge member in one direction with respect to said outer sleeve.

3. A bearing for a horizontal shaft comprising in combination with the shaft, 2. first pin secured within one end of the shaft and provided in its under side with an inverted V-shaped groove and in its outer end with a socket, a bearing support provided with a hole formed with a shoulder, an outer sleeve disposed within said hole and surrounding said pin, and provided with an annular flange which cooperates with said shoulder to assist in positioning said outer sleeve in said hole, an end plate secured to said bearing support and engaging said outer sleeve to hold said outer sleeve in the position in said hole. in which said flange engages said shoulder, an inner leeve surrounding said first pin within said outer sleeve with limited clearance and provided in its lower edge with a slot having radially extending sides, a knife edge member disposed in said slot and having its knife edge engaging said first pin at the apex of said groove, a second pin secured to said end plate and extending into said slot to hold said knife edge member in the position in which the knife edge is vertical, and a ball disposed in the socket in said first pin and cooperating with said end plate to prevent endwise movement of said shaft in one direction.

WESLEY B. WELLS. 

